Four-wheel drive.



-E. C. HODGES.

FOUR WHEEL DRIVE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31. I913.

Patented Apr. 2

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

E U'f/ 1V [V T R Y Alone E. C. HODGES.

FOUR WHEEL DRIVE.

APPHCATION FILED JIJLY 31. !913. 1L1$%M& Patented @1227, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

EUGENE C. HODGES F GREG-DRY, TEXAS.

FQUR-WHEEL DRIVE.

lhldl'hildll.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that l, EUGENE C. Honors, a citizen of the United States,residing at Gregory, in the county of San Patricio and State of Texas,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Four-Wheel Drives;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact'description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it 'apperta'ins to make and use the same.

between the engine shaft and diiferentialf Fig. 3 represents a sectionalView on the line 33 of Fig. a. Fig. 4- represents a vertical sectionalView through the hub of one of the steering Wheels. Fig. 5 represents asec tional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, and, Fig. 5 represents avertical sectional view thigiugh a slightly'modilied form of steering huReferring to the drawings, wherein similar reference charactersdesignate correspending parts throughout the several views,

7 indicatesithe running gear or chassis of r. motor vehicle supportedover the Wheels 8,

and supporting the engine 9 having the rear 'Wardly extending engineshaft 10. A clutch ill and emergency brake 12 are preferably located onthe engine shaft and the latter is provided with a flexibleand-contractible connection 13 having the bevel pinion 14 at its rearerld meshing with the pinion 15 fixed to the main shaft 16.

I I Bevel gears 1? and 18 are lined at the front and rear endsrespectively, oil the main shaft 16, and the gear 17 meshes with a suitable gear fixed on the front l9 and rear gear meshes with a suitabledifferential 20 provided on the rear sale. The main shaft 16 togetherwith the gears carried thereby are preferably mountedin a suitablehousing or casing 21 for protecting these parts. The

front axle 19 is also mounted in a casing 22 specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Apr, 2?, l9t5.

' hpplication filed .luly 31, 1.913. serial No. 782,257.

provided adjacent the opposite ends with outwardly directed forks orarms 23, carrymg friction reducing rollers 24 at their free extremitiesrotatable on a vertical axis. The portions of the front axle 19 whichproject beyond the ends of the casing 22 are preferably enlargedslightly and bifurcated to receive the trunnions 25 pivoted therein bya. transverse bolt 26. The medial portions of the trunnions 25. are ofangular formation and the ends are tapered and rounded at 27 and screwthreaded for the purpose of rigidly and adjustably securing the points28, a suitable lock nut being employed, if desired.

The hubs 29 of the front wheels are provided with the usual spokes 30,the securing bolts 31 therefor also securing channeled rings 32 to theinner faces of the hubs. A circular band 33 is fittedin the channel ofthe ring 32 and suitable roller bearings 34 are interposed between saidring and band for reducing the friction.

The bands 33 are preferably formed in two parts for convenience inassembling, the parts beiiig hinged at 35 and provided With rearvvardlyextending and contacting arms 36. The rear extremities of the arms 36are connected by a suitable lever 37 to the steering Wheel of the motorvehicle.

in operation, the rear Wheels of the motor" vehicle are driven. in theusual manner through the rear axle, and the front wheels are also driventhrough the front axle 19.

The rollers 24 of the arms 23, as Will be understood, are rotatable on afixed axis and materially assist in supporting the front Wheels in avertical plane and prevent collapsing thereof. The trunnions 25connecting the hubs 29 with the l9 permit the steering wheels to beturned in the desired direction on a substantially vertical axis forsteering the vehicle.

Referring to Fig. 6, wherein is disclosed a slightly modified form ofthe steering hub,

19 indicates the front axle and 22 the casing therefor provided with thearms or forks 24, the extremities of which are reduced and bifurcated toreceive the rollers l0 having engagement Within the inner Wall of achannel 4:1 formed in the hub 42.

What I claim is 1. In a device or" the character described, a drivingaxle, a hub, a trunnion pivotally mounted in the end oil said axle, coneshaped caps adjustable upon said trunnion and piv otally supporting saidhub upon the apexes thereof.

' 2. A device of the character described including-a driving axle, acasing therefor, a

hub, a trunnion pivotally mounted in the end'of said driving axle,cone'i shaped caps adjustable upon the extremities f said trunnion andpivotally supfporting said hub upon said apexes thereo grally connectedto said casing for supporting said wheel in a vertical position.

3-. A device of the character described including a driving axle, acasing therefor, a hub, a trunnion pivotally mounted in the end of saiddriving axle, cone shaped caps adjustable upon the extremities of saidtrunnion and pivotally supporting said hub upon the apexes thereof, abearing surface secured trunnion and pivotally supporting said hub tosaid hub supporting means for said hub operable upon said bearingsurface and anti-frictional means interposed between said supportingmeans and said bearing surface. V

4:. A; device of the character described including a driving axle, ahub, a channel ring secured to the inner face of said hub, an an nularband seatcdin said channel-ring and connected to a suitable steeringmechanism,

a trunnion pivotally mounted at the extremities of said driving axle andcone shaped caps adpistable upon the extremities ofsaid upon the ap'Xs'thereof.

5'. A device of thecharacter described inand" means inte-' cluding adriving axle, a casing the'retor, a hub, a trunnion mounted upon theextremities of said driving axle and within said hub, cone shaped capsadjustable upon extremities of said trunnion, means integrally connectedwith said axle casing for supporting said hub in a vertical plane, saidmeans being recessed into said hub and provided with anti-frictionbearings and annular means carried by said'hub and connected to asuitable steering mechanism for utilizing the pivotal movement of saidhub upon the apexes of said trunnion cone caps.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

EUGENE G. HODGES.

Witnesses:

Loom HALLIDAY, 'Lnn MULLEN.

